Informal to Formal

On the busy streets of Chandni Chowk, in the heart of Kolkata, second-hand e-waste salesman operate out of small stalls and tiny rooms squeezed in between the narrow alleyways.

Some of the operators want to make the transition from informal to formal, government-approved recycling. But making that change is difficult. National regulations have laid out stringent requirements for those who wish to formalize their business, and startup costs of more than $15,000 are proving to be prohibitively expensive.